Only Supreme Leader Can Decide on Iran-US Ties: Speaker

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, April 29, 2002

Only Supreme Leader Can Decide on Iran-US Ties: Speaker

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Iranian Majlis (parliament) Speaker Mahdi Karrubi said on Sunday that the fate of the Tehran-Washington relations lies only within the authority of the supreme leader, ending a wide speculation on possibility of developing ties between the two sworn enemies.

"The policy-making on relations with the United States lies within the jurisdiction of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and whatever he commands will be taken into effect," Karrubi was quoted as saying by the IRNA news agency.

The United States and Iran have severed relations after Iranian students stormed the American Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and took its staff hostage for 444 days.

Iran's centrists have been mulling to break taboos on Iran-U.S. talks, viewing such negotiations as in the best interests of the Islamic system.

Meanwhile, Karrubi appeased misgivings arising from Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent remarks that Moscow was intending to hold military maneuvers in the Caspian Sea and sign bilateral accords.

"Iran's policy is based on detente and forging friendly ties with its neighbors," the parliament speaker said.

Tehran, despite having close relations with Moscow, has to defend the country's territorial integrity and national interests, the cleric added.

"Iran hopes all countries will achieve their fair share in the Caspian Sea," he was quoted as saying.

A two-day summit of the Caspian Sea littoral states, held in the Turkmen capital of Ashkhabad to discuss the way of carving up the energy-rich waters, wound up last Wednesday with no deal.

However, the presidents of the five coastal countries, namely Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, voiced readiness to hold future talks to determine the Caspian legal regime.

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami reiterated Iran's view that common sovereignty on the sea is "the best choice" for the littoral states and voiced opposition to any unilateral action on tapping the waters, the third largest energy reserves in the world after the Gulf region and Siberia.

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